Portal:Investiture of the Gods/Chapter 40

This chapter is titled "Phoenix City's Great Siege". With the immediate arrival of dusk, and the essential completion of the terrace, Jiang Ziya began to recite many incantations and spells to stir up the winds for his set intentions. Destroying the deathly heat of summer with a refreshing breeze, the wind gradually became stronger—even to the extent that trees became uprooted, and sand flew about violently. As the wind became etched with a tint of coldness, winter snow suddenly fell from the skies, covering the land beneath with a tint of silver and white. Being exceedingly astonished and enraged at the coldness at the same time, Lu Xiong began making preparations to make an immediate retreat, less they were frozen to death by such blatant sorcery. Realizing that the enemy army could escape his grasp without death, Jiang Ziya began to recite many charms, effectively summoning the sun before the Shang forces' eyes. Sending large torrents of waves raging about, the prime minister additionally summoned forth a cold wind, freezing all unfortunate soldiers of Shang to ice. Seeing an ocean of ice layed about beneath the summit, Wu Ji and Nangong Kuo broke into the Shang camp as ordered, taking back Lu Xiong, Fei Zhong, and You Hun as prisoners as easily as turning over their very palm. As Lu Xiong stood defiantly before the feet of Jiang Ziya, while Fei Zhong and You Hun fell to the ground, begging for mercy, the prime minister ordered them to be placed within prison for the time being. Reciting incantations immediately after to melt away all ice below the mountain's summit, over 5,000 soldiers of the original 50,000 had been clearly frozen to death, while the remaining 45 managed to escape from the Western Foothills without any notable harm. With Jiang Ziya's decree to receive King Wu before Mount Western Foothills at once, General Nangong Kuo set out to Phoenix City shortly, performing such a task with immediate speed. Being accompanied by his civil and military officials along the way, King Wu noticed many lumps of ice and snow laying about in random areas of the mountain—and was thus informed by the prime minister following his arrival. As the prime minister began to write an elegy of in memory of the warriors who lost their lives for the Zhou cause, King Wu began to burn incense, while Jiang Ziya ordered the three prisoners to be brought forth and beheaded at once. Following the end of their ceremony, Han Rong had received the remnants of Lu Xiong's army, and at the same time, sent an urgent report to Grand Old Master Wen Zhong on the current issue within the Western Foothills. Being determined that his own appearance within the Western Foothills is the only insurance of Shang victory, Wen Zhong was immediately confronted by his two disciples, who suggested the four Diablo brothers—for they possess great magical renown, far exceeding what the original four Taoists could have obtained through their discipline. Being delighted, and well confident, over their summary, Wen Zhong sent an order to the four brothers, appointing them as expeditionary commanders if they are to comply. Realizing that the Grand Old Master must assuredly be rather desperate after receiving report on their appointment, the Diablo brothers nonetheless roared through the Good Dream Pass, 100,000 strong, and arriving before Phoenix City in rather quick pace.

As the prime minister obtained word shortly on the arrival of a Shang army camped near the city, Yellow Flying Tiger carefully spyed on their forces from the city wall, and upon the spotting of the renowned Diablo brothers—Mo Lihong, Mo Liqing, Mo Lihai, and Mo Lishou--he returned to Jiang Ziya's side and thoroughly elaborated the situation. Informing Jiang Ziya of their individualized special abilities—in which he knew by fighting by their side during a conflict against the East Sea district—the prime minister sat in great discomfort and distress. After three days without any form of challenge, the four brothers toasted eachother that night, while charging forth the following morning to do battle. Not having any preset plan as Jiang Ziya exited from the city gates to confront the four brothers, Mo Liqing started things off by ragefully yelling at the prime minister for his intentions on rebellion, especially after seeing Zhang Guifang's head atop Phoenix City's walls, who he had recognized. Even after being told that they never possessed any intentions to rebel against the dynasty, but were simply defending themselves from King Zhou's constant unbased assaults, the four brothers cared little of his words—for Grand Old Master is a keen man of intellect and competency and would surely not have sent them if the Western Foothills was not planning rebellion—and they thus charged at the Zhou forces, fighting right and left with great renown. Unfortunately for Nezha, and any other generals who had wielded a weapon of magical attributes, Mo Lihong used his Universe Muddling Umbrella to absorb such weapons with a single horizontal spin. With eager to show the opposition his own power, Mo Liqing shaked the Green Cloud Sword atop his back, forcing all within a set perimeter to unconditionally kill themselves with their own weapons. As the clouds above turned dark, with flames shooting about from Lihong's umbrella, Lishou used his white elephant to devour all unfortunate soldiers that happened to stand within its path. Fleeing back to Phoenix City in complete defeat, over 10,000 casualties had been counted, while nine generals had additionally lost their lives. As the Shang forces returned in great happiness over such a feat, Lihong suggested a complete assault upon Phoenix City's walls during their next military conference, in a chance to force both Jiang Ziya and King Wu into effective surrender. Enforcing such a suggestion with open arms, the four Diablo brothers clearly realized that boards of truce had been placed forth the city gates, but they nontheless assaulted the city with scaling ladders and cannons -- not daring to let up for a single second, less such a grand opportunity were to be negated at some later time. Retorting with flaming arrows, lime bottles, throwing spears, and of the sort for over three days, the Shang forces became even more resolved to break through such a defense, even at their own lack of soldiers through such aggression. Ordering a retreat following the end of their third day of assault, the four brothers decided that they should besiege the city and ensure that external food supplies and reinforcements are essentially cut off. After three months without any true success, Lihong suggested to his brothers a full scale assault upon the city with their legendary weapons; the amount of innocent casualties is of no more concern, for the city's capture is completely essential, less their own personal expenses result in reprimanding from the Grand Old Master. As it was agreed that such an action shall be taken by midnight, Jiang Ziya had meanwhile performed divination after hearing a sudden unpredictable blast of wind blow down many obstacles within Phoenix City. Realizing that such a resolution was rather likely to come about eventually due to their obstinacy, Jiang Ziya summoned forth the North Sea as a large water barrier that stretched over the entire city, negating any potential attack from the opposition's weapons. Being utterly astonished at the uselessness of their weapons against such a formidable crest of water over Phoenix City, the four brothers had little choice but to give up their pre-planned attack for that night. As the barrier remained erect before the city for months, as Jiang Ziya full realized the external actions of besiegement on the part of the Diablo brothers, the four brothers could do nothing more than continue to await food supply conveys in order to obtain a chance to attack the city from within. Eventually obtaining word that their city's supply of food could only last another ten days at the most, Yellow Flying Tiger suggested that the rich citizens of the Western Foothills should be forced to open their granaries for the city's overall use, while being repayed at a later time. Declining such an offer due to the panic and exceedingly poor morale that it would create, Jiang Ziya decided it best to think the matter over. After eight days had passed, two distinguished Taoists—known as Han Dulong of the Poisoned Dragon, and Xue Ehu of the Wicked Tiger--arrived to offer their food supplies after declaring their discipleship under Superiorman Divine Virtue. Handing a letter from their master as proof of their identities, Han Dulong placed forth his promised provisions: a small bag that possessed two handfuls of rice overall. As the soldiers of the Western Foothills tried their very best to hold back their laughter at such a sight, Jiang Ziya asked the Taoist to place the rice within one of the city's three granaries. Obtaining word after the passage of three hours, stating from a patrolman, that the barns are overflowing with rice, Jiang Ziya smiled with great delight at the good fortune of his king.

Now knowing that he possessed a strengthened resistance that could still easily be crushed by the Diablo brothers with ease, Jiang Ziya reinforced the North Sea water barrier at every moment. Being exceedingly disgusted and utterly wrathful at their lack of ability to take the city in its current impenetrable state, the four brothers sent a report to Grand Old Master Wen Zhong, stating that Jiang Ziya has defended his city with treacherous methods, resulting in their expedition almost taking over an entire year without a sign of the enemy's decay. As a few more days had passed by, another Taoist arrived before the gates of Phoenix City, and upon his admission, he declared his name to be "Yang Bliss", one of the head disciples under Jade Tripod. Being informed of the current situation against the Diablo brothers upon his asking, Yang Bliss managed to convince the prime minister that he shall be able to deal with the opposition—for he is a man of incredible magic renown, far exceeding that of an ordinary Taoist. As word of the board of truce being removed had reached the ears of the four brothers, they enthusiastically charged from the Shang camp, completely eager to destroy their opposition after such a long period of await. Once Ma Chenglong, commander of food supplies, had arrived from Caozhou before the feet of Phoenix City, Lishou, completely resolved to ensure the Western Foothill's internal decay at all costs, ordered his white elephant to devour the former at once. Seeing such an incident being carried out, Yang Bliss smiled with delight at such a chance, and thus threw himself in front of the elephant, being devoured in addition. As the Zhou forces fled back in fear at such a sight, Nezha informed Jiang Ziya of current happenings, but the latter nonetheless felt reassured that Yang Bliss may still be alive, considering the magical renown that he stated to have possessed. Being delighted at their great success, and obtaining notice on the lack of Phoenix City's water barrier for reasons unknown, Lishou suggested the unleashing of his white elephant as a chance to devour both Jiang Ziya and King Wu in one quick assault. Realizing that the barrier's disappearance is very probable of being a trap, the three brothers nonetheless agreed to such a suggestion. Once the white elephant had thus been sent forth with set intentions to destroy the king and his prime minister, Yang Bliss, still living within the beast's belly, thrashed its heart into pieces while destroying its body as a means of escape.

Cleaning his body from the blood, Yang Bliss was ushered forth within the city, to Nezha's immense surprise. Jiang Ziya, however, had expected such an outcome to an extent, and nonetheless became informed of the Diablo brother's original intentions before Yang's arrival. As Yang Bliss boastfully elaborated his many transformations, while becoming a small ermine weasel as proof, he left the prime minister's presence after ensuring the capture of the four weapons under the Diablo brothers. Assuming the appearance of Lishou's elephant, and returning to the Shang camp in its place, the four brothers realized that their plan did not go as planned—due to the distinct insignias that would have appeared before the animal's skin if another victim had been consumed—but nonetheless drank away their worries that night. Falling asleep with deep drunken stupor, Yang Bliss managed to grab ahold of Lihong's legendary umbrella, but upon the accidental knocking down of two other weapons within the room, which triggered evidential signs of awakening on the part of the four brothers, Yang had little choice but to flee at once from the Shang camp. Returning to Phoenix City, handing the prime minister Lihong's umbrella, and returning to the side of Lishou that same night, the four Diablo brothers awoke the following morning only to the great yells of fury on the part of Lihong, for his weapon had clearly been missing. Being ensured from the camp guards that no spy, or intruder at that, could ever get close to the camp without thorough inspection, the Diablo brothers unconditionally felt thoroughly unconfident at such a loss. Meanwhile within the Purple Sun Cave, Virtue of the Pure Void called forth Huang Tianhua, his disciple, after carefully watching the former incidents involving the Western Foothill's Phoenix City. Instructing his disciple to head to the Western Foothills and assist Jiang Ziya's cause, Virtue of the Pure Void first taught Tianhua how to use the twin golden-tipped hammers, and followed by giving the former his Fire Dragon Javelin and the jade unicorn as an additional form of assistance. Seeing his disciple off shortly after, Tianhua used his unicorn's unparalleled attribute of speed to arrive before the Western Foothills in mere moments. After being allowed passage within the city, while greeting his fellow father and prime minister upon entry, Tianhua stayed at his family's house for the day, fully enjoying the amount of meat that he effectively received—for he was only allowed to feast on vegetables when originally under Pure Void. Cladding himself full with armor of bright gold the following day, Huang Tianhua obtained consent to face the four Diablo brothers after informing Jiang Ziya of his set instructions on how to deal with such an opposition.

Categorized Events

 * Defiance and blind loyalty of Honest Hero
 * Consecrating of the God Altar; death of Fei Zhong and You Hun
 * Unleashing of Grand Old Master's trump card - the Diablo Brothers
 * Baby Tooth's unmeasurable anxiety; arrival of the Diablo Brothers
 * Renown of Diablo Red - stealing of the heavenly treasures
 * The mass rice provision; appearance of Yang Bliss
 * Yang Bliss's flying mink ruse
 * Heavenly Educated appears before Baby Tooth and Flying Tiger

封神演義/卷040